Will US Citizens Who Live or Work Abroad Have to Buy US Health Insurance?

On the Kaiser Health News website, a reader asked, "Will my son overseas have to buy a U.S. Health plan? He’s a US citizen, but he’s been working in Asia for 8 months and was required to buy into the health care system of the country he’s living in. He plans to return home to the States late this summer and I was curious if he needs to enroll in health insurance before he gets back?"

In the case of this woman’s son, Kaiser Health News Contributor, Michelle Andrews, says, "No."

Really?

According to the new Healthcare Reform law, Andrews explains that a U.S. Citizen who lives abroad for at least 330 days during a 12-month period doesn't have to buy health insurance here to satisfy the new health law’s requirement of having coverage in January 2014. So, whether or not her son has health coverage abroad, he will not be required to buy a US health plan before he returns. Additionally, he will not face the $95, or 1% of income penalty for not having insurance.

How Long?

Jenny Rejeske, a Health Policy Analyst at the National Immigration Law Center says, "The law allows people to have a short coverage gap of up to 3 consecutive months each year, but after that, her son would generally no longer qualify for the exemption from the requirement to have insurance."

In closing, anyone returning to the States, including this woman’s son, should aim to get insurance within 3 months.